The talk is based on Judge Gray’s book of the same title, which he subtitle “a judicial indictment of the War on Drugs.”

Judge Gray is a nationally known and respected author and speaker who has long advocated reform of the nation’s drug laws. A highly regarded jurist, Judge Gray served onCalifornia’s Orange County Superior Court from 1989 to 2010. His hundreds of media appearances have included Fox News, ABC, C-SPAN and radio stations across the country.

He was one of the principal sponsors of a 2012 Californiaballot initiative to regulate cannabis production and consumption similarly to wine. The judge was featured in the 2007 documentary “American Drug War: The Last White Hope.”

The first lecture will Aug. 27 be atSalemCollegeinWinston-Salem, from 2-4 p.m. in the Drama Workshop of the Fine Arts Center,601 S. Church St. The next day, Judge Gray will lecture at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, in the Student Union room 240 from 12-1:30 p.m. Both lectures are free and open to the public.

Judge Gray will also conduct two fund-raising events for the Johnson-Gray ticket and state Libertarian candidates. The first on Aug. 27, he will be held at the Liberty Oak Restaurant, 100 West.Washington St.,Greensboro from 6:30-8:30 p.m. The second will be held Aug. 28 at the Tir Na Nog Pub, 218 South Blount Street,Raleigh from 5-7:30 p.m. Admission for both these events is $25 for students and $40 for others.

Judge Gray was a trial judge inOrange County,Californiafrom 1983-2009. Before becoming a judge, he served as a volunteer in the Peace Corps inCosta Rica, a staff judge advocate and criminal defense attorney in the Navy JAG Corps, a federal prosecutor inLos Angeles, and a civil litigation attorney in a private law firm.

He was a Republican candidate for Congress in 1998, and the Libertarian candidate for U.S. Senate in 2004, when he ran against Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer.

For more information, contact Jason Melehani, deputy director for North Carolina for Gary Johnson, at 919-885-4612 of visit the Facebook event page.